MUMBAI, Oct. 10 -- The Bombay High Court on Thursday cancelled the admission of 22 nursing students for illegally securing admission into courses of General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM), while directing the concerned colleges to return the fee that they have paid and also pay them a compensation of Rs.1 lakh each for their loss of an academic year. The issue came to light in March this year when the Maharashtra State Board of Nursing and Paramedical Education (MSBNPME) and the Director of Medical Education and Research found that over 90 students 'illegally' secured admissions in various colleges across Maharashtra into ANM and GNM courses. According to the Indian Nursing Council guidelines, students can be eligible for ANM and GNM programmes only if they have had vocational subjects such as ophthalmic techniques, medical laboratory technology, auxiliary nursing and a few other subjects in their Class 12, which the students did not possess. Announcing that the respective colleges admitted the students illegally, MSBNPME cancelled the admission of the 90 students. 22 of these students approached the high court, seeking to allow them to attempt the examinations. The MSBNPME told the court that these 22 students did not pursue the mandatory vocational subjects in their Class 12, and several of them had pursued entirely unrelated subjects. The court, while cancelling the admissions of the 22 students, directed the competent authority to initiate action against the respective college managements for illegally admitting students into courses, and also ordered scrutiny of all admissions in the last five years. The court further directed the concerned colleges to return the fee paid by the students and also pay a compensation of Rs.1 lakh each, within 45 days, to make up for their loss of an academic year....